"Master Fang is not feeling well, and no one is here." Zheng Yan had a serious expression on his face, looking a little fierce.
Seeing this, Pei Pening's wife took a step back timidly, with a look of reluctance on her face, "General, if I don't want to go in, can you bring the gift in for me?"
Zheng Yan saw that she was very persistent and refused to leave, so he relented and said, "Madam, please wait a moment. I'll go in and let you know."
"Thank you, General." Mrs. Pei bowed and Zheng Yan ordered other soldiers to guard the door before turning around and walking back to the mansion.
At this time, Fang Zilan and Mo Han were sitting in the front hall. They were startled when they heard the news brought by Xiao Xuan'er.
"You said that Fang Lihui and Fang Lixing were detained by people from the Ministry of Revenue?" Fang Zilan repeated Xiao Xuan'er's words and said in disbelief: "What do you mean detained?"
Xiao Xuan'er hurriedly explained: "Master Fang Lihui is now an imperial merchant, and the water transportation in the south of the Yangtze River is favored. Fang's cargo ships have always been exempted from inspection. Who would have thought that this time, an inspection suddenly appeared on the way, and it was discovered that the number of goods on the ship No, after verification by the Ministry of Revenue, they claimed that the Fang family was smuggling illegally, and it happened that the name of Fang Lixing, the Prime Minister's son, was signed on the passage document for that batch of cargo ships..."
She didn't say any more, but Fang Zilan already understood most of it, "Is this usually the case?"
"Master Fang is saying..." Xiao Xuan'er pursed her lips, and Fang Zilan sighed softly, "Illegal smuggling."
"Of course there is. Smuggling is a tacit secret among businessmen. Even the government has heard about it." Xiao Xuan'er frowned slightly, "Generally, as long as it is not excessive, no one will deliberately make things difficult. Could it be that... …”
She looked at Fang Zilan as if she suddenly understood, and saw her expression getting colder. She waved to Zheng Yan, who was standing outside the hall, to come in, "What's going on with Pei Pening's wife?"
Zheng Yan said concisely and concisely: "Mrs. Pei refuses to leave. She must enter the house politely."
"Is she threatening me?" Fang Zilan's face turned completely cold, "Go and blow her away."
Mo Han persuaded: "Sister Lan, Mrs. Pei is just following orders, otherwise..."
"Otherwise, what?" Fang Zilan interrupted him impatiently, raising her hand and frowning slightly, "I promised the queen when she wanted to help her. If Mrs. Pei's gift comes into my house today, then I will become Who is it?"
"Master Fang, I see that Mrs. Pei seems to be injured." Zheng Yan couldn't help but talk too much. Fang Zilan snorted coldly, "So what if I'm injured? Do you want me to go back on my word? Get away."
"Yes." Zheng Yan took the order and left. Fang Zilan then asked Xiao Xuan'er: "After the Ministry of Revenue detained the person, did they say what to do with it?"
"Not yet." Xiao Xuan'er shook her head, "Smuggling convictions are usually based on the value of the goods. The Ministry of Revenue heard that the price has not yet been determined, so the person has not been handed over to the Ministry of Punishments."
"I don't think the price has been determined yet, but we need to see the Fang family's reaction before we know how to estimate the price." Fang Zilan half-leaned on the main seat, looking a little tired.
"If the Fang family bows their heads and submits, then this matter will turn into a trivial matter." Mo Han said, "But if the Fang family still refuses to obey, the Ministry of Revenue will probably make something out of nothing."
Fang Zilan was silent, thinking that Pei Jueqing was pressing harder. Is the Fang family really going to have no way out?
"Master Fang!" Awan came in a hurry and said anxiously: "Someone from the palace has called, saying that His Majesty invites you to enter the palace."
"Enter the palace again?" Fang Zilan felt her head was as big as a bucket, and she didn't know what Li Shengxuan was thinking. Since the Lantern Festival, she had been summoned to the palace every three days.
It stands to reason that her chief minister is not allowed to enter the palace without decree, and she only needs to go to the palace once a month to report the situation. Who knows that now Li Shengxuan frequently announces her entry into the palace, and it is a trivial matter, but he insists on letting her run away for a while. trip.
She once thought that her identity was exposed, which made Li Shengxuan suspect her. However, Li Shengxuan didn't even ask about Mr. Zuo, but only asked her how she was hurt, which puzzled her.
Why would she be called into the palace at this juncture? You won't ask her why she attacked Pei Xuanchang at the flower party yesterday, right?
Seeing that Fang Zilan had a headache, Mo Han coughed lightly and said, "Sister Lan, His Majesty wants to declare you into the palace again."
"I heard it." Fang Zilan responded angrily, and Mo Han couldn't help but remind: "The call at this time is probably related to the Fang family's affairs. Sister Lan, you must avoid the suspicion that should be avoided. Your foundation is not stable. , Don’t make too many enemies.”
Fang Zilan let out a long sigh, "I understand." After saying that, she walked out and followed the palace servants sent by Li Shengxuan into the palace.
However, as soon as she stepped out of the house, she was pestered by Mrs. Pei, "Mr. Fang, it's great to see that you are okay."
"Mrs. Pei, I'm in a hurry to enter the palace. If I have something to do, we'll talk about it another day." Fang Zilan pushed Mrs. Pei away perfunctorily. She was about to follow but was separated by Zheng Yan.
"Master Fang!" Mrs. Pei shouted, and suddenly knelt on the ground, "I was not at fault for what happened yesterday, but Miss Fang did get engaged to Mrs. Pei. This is an indisputable fact. Master Fang, you can't do it because of that. If you have any quarrel with me, Mrs. Pei, then you have to stab me and break this marriage forever, right?"
"What did you say?" Fang Zilan glanced back at Mrs. Pei, her eyes like ice, which made her tremble.
However, when Mrs. Pei thought of Pei Juqing's ruthless appearance, the wounds on her body ached. She simply lost her temper and shouted: "Master Fang, I would rather demolish ten temples than destroy one marriage. Today I apologize to you on behalf of Mr. Pei. Please let Miss Fang go and make this marriage come true!"
Fang Zilan was filled with anger. This was the first time she had ever seen such a person confuse right and wrong with open eyes and tell lies. Unexpectedly, before she could get angry, the palace man next to her said, "Master Fang, Your Majesty is still waiting for you."
"I..." Fang Zilan looked at the palace man's back and had no choice but to follow him. She was holding back her anger, and when she walked into the royal study, her whole body was extremely gloomy.
Li Shengxuan looked at her angrily saluting and said with a smile, "Why are you so angry?"
"No." Fang Zilan lowered her head. Li Shengxuan walked up to her and looked at her with interest. After a while, he said, "What is the relationship between Miss Fang and you?"
"What?" Fang Zilan reacted suddenly and waved her hand: "It doesn't matter. I just think that the Duke of Jui is too deep in the palace and is not a good person. Miss Fang is also a straight person. They are really not suitable for each other."
"I didn't know you could still be a Yue Lao?" Li Shengxuan smiled half-heartedly, and Fang Zilan avoided his gaze. "Did His Majesty call me into the palace just to tease me?"
Li Shengxuan suppressed a smile and said seriously: "Don't interfere in this matter anymore. The Empress Dowager has already decreed the marriage."
"What did your Majesty say?" Fang Zilan's face was shocked, and Li Shengxuan said softly: "What the capital needs is to recuperate and recuperate, not to continue internal strife. The prime minister is on the side of the poor family, and Duke Jun represents the aristocratic family. The marriage between the two parties, not only The Empress Dowager’s intention is also my attitude.”
Fang Zilan was speechless for a long time, and Li Shengxuan took the time to say: "Family families from poor families will only suffer losses when they fight each other. Fang Zilan, do you think that the two sides cannot coexist, so you are always hostile to the Pei family?"
"I don't know." Fang Zilan looked calm, and Li Shengxuan said in a deep voice: "The Duke of Jui may not have good methods, but Pei has done his best in the years he has been in charge of the household department. Otherwise, you may not have done anything during the month you were in Qiluo City. Hold on."
Hearing this, Fang Zilan took a deep breath and met Li Shengxuan's gaze, "I don't know how many complicated things happened behind that month in Qiluo City. There is only one thing I know, and that is that I held on. But If it weren't for this critical moment of life and death, some people might wish I had died."
